UNESCO gives five‑year extension for protection of Lake Ohrid region

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee granted Albania and North Macedonia an additional five‑year period to implement the protection measures required for the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region. The decision, taken at the committee’s 48th session, avoids placing the site on the World Heritage in Danger list, but UNESCO warned that degradation of the area’s universal values has not stopped.

Engineer and environmentalist Arian Merolli criticised the deputy prime minister’s satisfaction that the region was not listed as endangered, arguing that such a listing would increase international pressure on the governments. Merolli cautioned that the five‑year window may produce no results without strong political will, noting that North Macedonia has already advanced a detailed management strategy and created an inter‑institutional implementation group, while Albania’s progress remains limited.